The Qur'an, this extraordinary book which was revealed to the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad (saas), is a source of inspiration and true knowledge. The book of Islam-no matter what subject it refers to-is being proved as Allah's word as each new piece of historical, scientific or archaeological information comes to light. Facts about scientific subjects and the news delivered to us about the past and future, facts that no one could have known at the time of the Qur'an's revelation, are announced in its verses. It is impossible for this information, to have been known with the level of knowledge and technology available in 7th century Arabia. With this in mind, let us ask:

Could anyone in 7th century Arabia have known that our atmosphere is made up of seven layers?

Could anyone in 7th century Arabia have known in detail the various stages of development from which an embryo grows into a baby and then enters the world from inside his mother?

Could anyone in 7th century Arabia have known that the universe is "steadily expanding," as the Qur'an puts it, when modern scientists have only in recent decades put forward the idea of the "Big Bang"?

Could anyone in 7th century Arabia have known about the fact that each individual's fingertips are absolutely unique, when we have only discovered this fact recently, using modern technology and modern scientific equipment?

Could anyone in 7th century Arabia have known about the role of one of Pharaoh's most prominent aids, Haman, when the details of hieroglyphic translation were only discovered two centuries ago?

Could anyone in 7th century Arabia have known that the word "Pharaoh" was only used from the 14th century B.C. and not before, as the Old Testament erroneously claims?

Could anyone in 7th century Arabia have known about Ubar and Iram's Pillars, which were only discovered in recent decades via the use of NASA satellite photographs?

The only answer to these questions is as follows: the Qur'an is the word of the Almighty Allah, the Originator of everything and the One Who encompasses everything with His knowledge. In one verse, Allah says, "If it had been from other than Allah, they would have found many inconsistencies in it." (Surat an-Nisa’: 82) Every piece of information the Qur'an contains reveals the secret miracles of this divine book.

The human being is meant to hold fast to this Divine Book revealed by Allah and to receive it with an open heart as his one and only guide in life. In the Qur'an, Allah tells us the following:

This Qur'an could never have been devised by any besides Allah. Rather it is confirmation of what came before it and an elucidation of the Book which contains no doubt from the Lord of all the worlds. Do they say, "He has invented it"? Say: "Then produce a sura like it and call on anyone you can besides Allah if you are telling the truth." (Surah Yunus: 37-38)

And this is a Book We have sent down and blessed, so follow it and have fear of Allah so that hopefully you will gain mercy. (Surat al-An‘am: 155)

Wonders of Creation:

The Ability to see the signs of Allah…

Say: "Praise be to Allah. He will show you His signs and you will recognize them. Your Lord is not heedless of anything you do."(Surat an-Naml: 93)

In the Qur’an, Allah invites people to reject blindly accepting the beliefs and values society imposes on them and to ponder by pushing aside all the prejudices, taboos and constraints on their minds.

Man must think on how he came into being, what is the purpose of his life, why he will die and what awaits him after death. He must question how he himself and the whole universe came into existence and how they continue to exist. While doing this, he must relieve himself of all constraints and prejudices.

By thinking, while isolating his conscience from all social, ideological and psychological obligations, the person should eventually perceive that the entire universe, including himself, is created by a Superior Power. Even when he examines his own body or any other thing in nature, he will see an impressive harmony, plan and wisdom at work within its design.

At this point again, the Qur'an guides man. In the Qur’an, Allah guides us as to what we should reflect on and investigate. With the methods of reflection given in the Qur'an, he who has faith in Allah will better perceive Allah’s perfection, eternal wisdom, knowledge and power in His creation. When a believing person starts to think in the way shown in the Qur’an, he soon realizes that the whole universe is a sign of Allah’s power and art, and that, "nature is a work of art, not the artist itself". Every work of art exhibits the exceptional skills of the one who has made it and conveys his messages.

In the Qur’an, people are summoned to contemplate numerous events and objects that clearly testify to the existence and uniqueness of Allah and His attributes. In the Qur’an, all these beings that bear witness are designated as "signs", meaning "tested evidence, absolute knowledge and expression of truth". Therefore, the signs of Allah comprise all the beings in the universe that disclose and communicate the being and attributes of Allah. Those who can observe and remember will see that the entire universe is only composed of the signs of Allah.

This, indeed, is the responsibility of mankind; to be able to see the signs of Allah... Thus, such a person will come to know the Creator Who created him and all other things, draw closer to Him, discover the meaning of his existence and his life and so prosper.

Each thing, the breaths a human takes, political and social developments; the cosmic harmony in the universe, the atom, which is one of the smallest pieces of matter, is each a sign of Allah and they all operate under His control and knowledge, abiding by His laws. Recognizing and knowing the signs of Allah calls for personal effort. Everyone will recognize and know the signs of Allah in accordance with his own wisdom and conscience.

Undoubtedly, some guidelines may also help. As the first step, one can investigate certain points stressed in the Qur'an in order to acquire the mentality that perceives the whole universe as an articulation of the things Allah created.

Allah’s signs in nature are emphasized in Surat an-Nahl:

It is He Who sends down water from the sky. From it you drink and from it come the shrubs among which you graze your herds. And by it He makes crops grow for you and olives and dates and grapes and fruit of every kind. There is certainly a sign in that for people who reflect. He has made the night and the day subservient to you, and the Sun, the Moon and the stars, all subject to His command. There are certainly signs in that for people who use their intellect. And also the things of varying colors He has created for you in the earth. There is certainly a sign in that for people who pay heed. It is He Who made the sea subservient to you so that you can eat fresh flesh from it and bring out from it ornaments to wear. And you see the ships cleaving through it so that you can seek His bounty, and so that perhaps you may show thanks. He cast firmly embedded mountains on the Earth so it would not move under you, and rivers and pathways so that perhaps you might be guided, and landmarks. And they are guided by the stars. Is He Who creates like him who does not create? So will you not pay heed? (Surat an-Nahl: 10-17)

Lives of the Prophets:

Allah Bestows Prophethood upon Abraham (as)

Prophets are special people whom Allah selected and endowed with superior qualities. Their powerful faith, pleasing moral virtues, superior character, and exemplary behavior always attracted those around them, and eventually they were forced to move away from their pagan and misguided societies. One of the most important qualities setting them apart is the fact that Allah revealed the truth to them. As the Qur’an relates:

We have revealed to you, as We revealed to Noah and the prophets who came after him. And We revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the descendents, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon. And We gave David the Psalm. Surat an-Nisa’:163)

Allah’s use of prophets to spread His revelation among their people was a great blessing for humanity, for His revelation continues to show people the way to the true path, teach them how to worship, describe proper moral values, and makes His religion known to those people who live after the time of Prophet Muhammad (saas)), the last prophet. Our Lord informs us that He has revealed to the prophets how their followers should behave and worship Him:

We made them leaders, guiding by Our command, and revealed to them how to do good actions, perform prayer, and give alms. And they worshipped Us. (Surat al-Anbiya’:73)

Throughout their lives, the prophets sought to gain His good pleasure and compassion, as well as His Paradise. Thus, they lived exemplary lives by fully complying with His commands.

Allah bestowed prophethood, an honorable position attained by His chosen servants, upon Prophet Abraham (as) after a period of testing. The Qur’an reveals this in the following verse:

Remember when Abraham was tested by his Lord with certain words, which he carried out perfectly. He [Allah] said: “I will make you a model for humanity.” He [Abraham] asked: “And what of my descendents?” He [Allah] replied: “My contract does not include the wrongdoers.” (Surat al-Baqara: 124)

As stated in this verse, Prophet Abraham (as) obeyed our Lord during this test and perfectly fulfilled all of His commands. Just like Prophet Abraham (as), all believers have the same responsibility. His unconditional obedience to Allah and submission to His commands are fine models for all believers.

Allah endowed Prophet Abraham (as) with prophethood at an early age (Surah Ta Ha:60), and revealed the truth to him:

Or do they in fact envy other people for the bounty Allah has granted them? We gave the family of Abraham the Book and Wisdom, and We gave them an immense kingdom. (Surat an-Nisa’:54)

Evolution Deceit:

The "Intelligent Design" Distraction

In the United States in the second half of the 1980s, a theory known as "intelligent design" was launched against the theory of evolution, maintaining that all living things came into being not by chance—as Darwinism maintains—but as the result of an "intelligent design."

However, the proponents of this movement do not openly state that it is Allah, the Lord of the worlds, Who created all living things.

In describing the concept, Michael Behe, one of its most prominent advocates, says, "The theory of intelligent design is not a religiously based idea, even though devout people opposed to the teaching of evolution cite it in their arguments…" (See "Design for Living," New York Times, February 7, 2005.)

No Muslim Would Ever Say, "There Is Intelligent Design" Instead of "Allah Created"!

There are also proponents of the theory of "intelligent design" in Turkey. Notably, however, in defending this theory, they seek to imitate the style employed by their Western counterparts, and are careful to avoid any reference to the name of Allah.

Instead of saying, "Allah created the entire universe and everything in it, living and non-living" in their accounts, they resort to vague expressions along the lines of "There is an intelligent design in the universe"—creating the impression that they deliberately avoid mentioning the name of Allah.

Of course, there is nothing strange in non-Muslims, atheists, or some philosophers employing such a style.

However, it is unacceptable for anyone who claims to be a Muslim to constantly avoid saying, "Allah created" and instead using terms such as "A power created…" or "the work of intelligent design." That is an approach no Muslim can adopt, because it means, "I do not wish to say 'Allah', I mean 'There is a power, and there is an intelligent design'." And nothing in that is compatible with Islam and the Qur'an.

Avoiding saying "Allah created all things," and "Everything came into being with Allah, the Lord of the worlds, saying 'Be!'," and merely referring to "an intelligent design in the universe" can only be the product of a mindset that lacks true faith in the existence of Allah.

Even children at primary school know that it is Allah, and not "intelligent design," Who created the sky, gazelles, fish, lambs, apples, bananas, grapes and oranges.

Who Else, Apart from Allah, Could Expressions Like "Intelligent Design" and "An Intelligent Power" Refer To?

To put forward any claim of "intelligent design," while ignoring the existence of Allah (He is surely beyond that) is exceedingly irrational and illogical.

After a moment's reflection, anyone of normal intelligence and possessed of a conscience will understand that if the perfection in the universe appears to have been designed, then the Creator of that perfection can be none other than Allah.

He will see that all entities in the universe, living or otherwise, are manifestations of Allah's infinite wisdom, knowledge, might, and creative artistry.

In consequence, he will say, "Allah exists; Allah created" rather than "There is intelligent design," or "There exists an intelligent power."

As we know, the pagans in pre-Islamic Mecca attached the names of Allah to statues they carved out of stone and wood and took these as their idols.

They maintained that these idols--to which they attached such names as al-Lat, Manat and al-'Uzza--had created them, had provided for them and had power to protect them. In short, they ascribed partners to Allah by ascribing His attributes to them.

Today, similarly, some people are trying to turn others away from a belief in Allah by imposing His superior attributes onto such abstract concepts as "intelligent design" and "intelligent power." This is virtually the same as adopting an idol by the name of Intelligent Design.

The Qur'an tells us the following about this attitude of the pagans:

They are nothing but names which you yourselves have given, you and your forefathers. Allah has sent down no authority for them. They are following nothing but conjecture and what their own selves desire. And that when guidance has reached them from their Lord! (Surat an-Najm: 23)

Freemasons, using the same logic, maintain in their writings that a "total power" or "a consciousness" directs the universe, but what they are referring to is definitely not Allah (Allah forbid).

Obviously, the "intelligent design" adherents are employing exactly the same logic as that to be found in Masonic accounts.

Quick Grasp of Faith:

What is the concept of sincerity in the Qur'an?

"Sincerity", literally, has the meaning of being pure and unadulterated. The concept of sincerity mentioned in the Qur'an denotes turning to Allah in devoutness. A sincere believer devotes all his deeds throughout his entire life to seeking the pleasure of Allah and expects his reward only from Him. He does not make devious calculations orientated around the opinions of other people or trying to find favor with them. Therefore all of his actions are sincere and candid, such as would earn the pleasure of Allah.

A sincere person is honest first with Allah and then with people; because he well knows that Allah hears and sees all things, and that he will be judged in His presence and will be held responsible for all of his deeds, words and thoughts. For this reason the sincerity and candor of believers are among the most significant signs of the firmness of their faith.

Allah has made the sincere attitudes of the messengers, who always sought to earn the good pleasure of Allah, an example for believers:

And remember Our servants Ibrahim, Ishaq and Ya'qub, men of true strength and inner sight. We purified their sincerity through sincere remembrance of the Abode. In Our eyes they are among the best of chosen men. (Surah Sâd: 45-47)

Those who turn to Allah in sincerity are praised in the Qur'an. The Qur'an heralds the good outcome of these people as follows:

Those who shun the worship of false deities and turn towards Allah will have good news. So give good news to My servants. Those who listen well to what is said and follow the best of it, they are the ones whom Allah has guided, they are the people of intelligence. (Surat az-Zumar: 17-18)

The importance of deeds performed solely for Allah's sake is mentioned in the hadith below:

Allah accepts those deeds which were performed purely for His sake and which were meant to seek His pleasure. (Abu Dawud)

Book Review:

A Call for Unity

We are living in an era in which the world is desperately in need of peace, friendship, and solidarity. The tensions and conflicts that so defined the twentieth century continue in this new century, and innocent people all around the world continue to suffer from them.

Today, ideological struggles, indeed, continue to divide the world. However, Muslims are not at one pole and Jews and Christians are not at the opposing pole. In fact, one pole represents people who believe in Allah's existence and unity, and the other pole represents the unbelievers, who believe in such anti-religious ideologies as materialism and Darwinism. There is only one way to defeat the alliance of the various groups of unbelievers on an ideological level: eradicate the negative and destructive influences of anti-religious materialism and further the cause of a society dominated by morality, happiness, tranquility, security, and prosperity. This will be done by forming an alliance of all conscientious people, namely, sincere Christians, along with religious Jews and Muslims, who will come together and unite in this common cause. This alliance will be one of the main contributing factors to tranquility at a time when Prophet Jesus' (as) second coming is expected.